UN Security Council split on Syria war crimes

UN Security Council split on Syria war crimes
Updated on

Summary The UN Security Council is divided over whether to refer reports of war crimes in Syria to ICC.

 

The U.N. Security Council s president says the council is divided over whether to refer reports of war crimes in Syria to the International Criminal Court (ICC).

 

Five council members France, Britain, Luxembourg, Australia and South Korea made a joint statement Friday urging the world body to send the problem to the International Criminal Court to prosecute war criminals.

 

But council president Masood Khan, the ambassador of Pakistan, says the council is divided in private deliberations over what to do.

 

Some council members contend that having the court pursue prosecutions will encourage Syrian President Bashar Assad s regime to dig in and resist to the end.

 

They spoke after U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay told the Council that the death toll in Syria has reached 60,000.